Calling it an “election year stunt,’’ Cranston Mayor Allan Fung has vetoed a City Council ordinance that would establish a $12.50 per hour minimum wage for city employees.
“I cannot burden the taxpayers with what amounts to nothing more than a poorly thought out election year stunt,’’ said Fung in a news release. “The proposed ordinance does not have a proper cost-benefit analysis, has no data to support the arbitrary selection of $12, $12.50 or the originally proposed $15.’’
The minimum wage ordinance was approved by a 5 to 4 vote of the council. It takes a two-thirds council vote to overturn the Republican mayor’s veto. Some city workers are paid as little as $9 per hour.
Fung’s veto message was submitted to the council Wednesday afternoon.
